Form 8-K

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) April 25, 2012

 

 

General Electric Company

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

New York   001-00035   14-0689340

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

  

(Commission

File Number)

  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

3135 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield, Connecticut

(Address of principal executive offices)

  

06828-0001

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (203) 373-2211

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instructions A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

(e) On April 25, 2012, the shareowners of General Electric Company (the “Company”) approved an amendment to the GE 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) at the annual meeting of shareowners, which (1) authorizes an additional 425 million shares for issuance under the Plan; (2) increases the underlying limit on the number of shares available for incentive stock options (by the same 425 million); (3) decreases the underlying limit on the number of shares available for awards other than stock options and stock appreciation rights from 250 million to 230 million, such that the overall limit on awards other than stock options and stock appreciation rights represent 25% of the total authorized share reserve under the Plan; (4) explicitly prohibits paying dividends or dividend equivalents on stock options and stock appreciation rights; and (5) updates outdated accounting standards references. The material terms of the Plan are summarized on pages 42 through 44 of the Company’s definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 9, 2012 (the “Proxy Statement”), which description is incorporated by reference herein. This description of the Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual terms of the Plan, as amended, which are set forth in Appendix A to the Proxy Statement.

Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

(a) The annual meeting of shareowners of the Company was held on April 25, 2012.

(b) The shareowners elected all of the Company’s nominees for director; ratified the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year 2012; approved the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation; approved the amendment to the GE 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan to increase the number of authorized shares; and approved the material terms of senior officer performance goals. The shareowners did not approve any of the shareowner proposals, which are listed below.

 

A. Election of Directors:

 

     Shares For      Shares Against      Shares Abstain      Non-Votes  

W. Geoffrey Beattie

      5,968,905,106         163,689,678         105,940,708         2,108,371,635   

James I. Cash, Jr.

      5,944,890,277         189,902,050         103,743,165         2,108,371,635   

Ann M. Fudge

      5,980,048,187         157,171,229         101,316,076         2,108,371,635   

Susan Hockfield

      6,023,088,841         114,721,388         100,725,263         2,108,371,635   

Jeffrey R. Immelt

      5,804,712,288         330,679,285         103,143,919         2,108,371,635   

Andrea Jung

      5,834,649,327         293,392,449         110,493,716         2,108,371,635   

Alan G. (A.G.) Lafley

      6,025,394,063         110,108,997         103,032,432         2,108,371,635   

Robert W. Lane

      6,002,494,091         132,612,694         103,428,707         2,108,371,635   

Ralph S. Larsen

      5,989,625,055         144,036,060         104,874,377         2,108,371,635   

Rochelle B. Lazarus

      5,626,534,846         509,938,690         102,061,956         2,108,371,635   

James J. Mulva

      6,029,710,733         104,651,895         104,172,864         2,108,371,635   

Sam Nunn

      5,925,075,773         212,730,657         100,729,062         2,108,371,635   

Roger S. Penske

      5,419,074,525         718,602,841         100,858,126         2,108,371,635   

Robert J. Swieringa

      6,018,317,208         113,605,764         106,612,520         2,108,371,635   

James S. Tisch

      5,475,004,374         659,586,532         103,944,586         2,108,371,635   

Douglas A. Warner III

      5,931,645,701         201,995,974         104,893,817         2,108,371,635   

 

B. Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm:

 

For

      7,879,066,199   

Against

      202,777,437   

Abstain

      265,063,491   

 

C. Advisory Resolution to Approve Executive Compensation:

 

For

      5,674,295,274   

Against

      456,878,236   

Abstain

      134,361,982   

Non-Votes

      2,108,371,635   

 

D. Approval of an Amendment to the GE 2007 Long-Term Incentive Plan to Increase the Number of Authorized Shares:

 

For

      5,699,172,513   

Against

      420,230,932   

Abstain

      119,132,047   

Non-Votes

      2,108,371,635   

 

(2)

E. Approval of the Material Terms of Senior Officer Performance Goals:

 

For

      5,670,050,872   

Against

      438,435,603   

Abstain

      130,049,017   

Non-Votes

      2,108,371,635   

 

1. Shareowner Proposal: Cumulative Voting:

 

For

      1,634,688,410   

Against

      4,481,348,359   

Abstain

      122,498,723   

Non-Votes

      2,108,371,635   

 

2. Shareowner Proposal: Nuclear Activities:

 

For

      139,867,058   

Against

      5,665,681,965   

Abstain

      432,986,469   

Non-Votes

      2,108,371,635   

 

3. Shareowner Proposal: Independent Board Chairman:

 

For

      1,350,967,952   

Against

      4,676,195,494   

Abstain

      211,372,046   

Non-Votes

      2,108,371,635   

 

4. Shareowner Proposal: Shareowner Action by Written Consent:

 

For

      2,928,237,643   

Against

      3,223,338,896   

Abstain

      86,958,953   

Non-Votes

      2,108,371,635   

 

(3)

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

   

General Electric Company

    (Registrant)
Date: April 30, 2012    

/s/ Jamie S. Miller

    Jamie S. Miller
    Vice President and Controller

 

(4)